Impulse switch



. Jag. 7, 1964 c. H. MILLERWISE 3,117,199

IMPULSE SWITCH Filed April 18, 19Go FIG 4 l' 51 se ii yl2 34 50 22 fury-lum 2' d 30 I/ I y Q2 2o f l/l//l/ /l i4 se 26 50T 48 2 24 38 :s2 3s INVENTOR. FI CARL HERMAN MILLERWISE wlLoN, lewis ffMc RAF.

ATToRNEvs United States Patent 3,117,199 EviPUlLSE SW'ICH Carl Herman Miilerwise, Trumbuli, Conn., assigner to American Radiator Standard Sanitary Qorporation, New York, NSY., a corporation ot Delaware Filed Apr. 18, 19%, Ser. No. 22,325 4 Claims. (Cl. 26d-77) This invention relates to an impulse switch, i.e., a switch wherein movement of an actuator is effective to cause a momentary movement of a switch contact to one position, after which said contact is automatically moved to a second position.

One object of the present invention is to provide an impulse switch which is of jam-free construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an impulse switch wherein the component parts are compactly arranged with respect to one another so as to permit construction of the switch as a small-size item.

Another object of the invention is to provide an impulse switch wherein the component parts are of rugged construction so as to permit manufacture of a switch having a long service life.

Another object or" the present invention is to provide an impulse switch wherein the operating parts are accurately guided for slidaole reciprocal movement so as to permit jam-free operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an impulse switch which can employ certain standard switch components, thereby enabling a manufacturer to incorporate an impulse switch in his line of switches without extensive tooling designed especially for the impulse switch.

Another object of the invention is to provide an im pulse switch wherein the components can be quickly and easily assembled together by low cost assembly techniques so as to enable manufacture of the switch as a relatively low cost item.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional View through one embodiment of the invention, said embodiment being shown with its actuator button iti in an elevated de-actuated position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View through the FIG. l embodiment with actuator button it) shown in a partially depressed condition;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View through the FIG. l embodiment with the actuator button it? shown in a fully depressed condition; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on line 4-4 in FIG. l.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

In the drawings there is shown an impulse switch structure oi the invention constructed to include a casing 12 formed by the dielectric casing elements 14 and 16, and the securing rivets 2@ and 22.

Casing structure l2 denes a horizontally elongated switch chamber 24 in which is positioned a metallic Support member 26. Support member 26 is upwardly Y autres Patented dan. 7, ld@

bulged at 23 to define a supporting portion for the central section 3i) oi a metallic switch blade 32. By reference to FIG. 4 it will be seen that blade 32 is provided with two longitudinal parallel slits Iid and Sie which divide the blade into three separate but connected sections 30, 38 and 4l?. Sections 38 and di) are positioned out of vertical registry with the upwardly bulged portion 2S to that said blade sections 3d and d@ may be moved downwardly alongside the lateral edges of portion 28 as shown in FIG. 2. It will be noted that the center blade section 3d is initially deformed downwardly at i2 to position it out of the blade plane delined by blade sections 38 and 40. The preset deformation at 42 is effective to put the blade sections $8 and 4h in tensioned conditions for causing the blade contact structure to normally (FIG. l) pressuringiy engage against contact member 46 which is electrically connected with a lead in terminal d5. A second Contact member 4S is connected with a lead in terminal S0.

It will be understood that one or both of members 46 and 43 may be connected by means of their terminals into an electric circuit in accordance with the particular installation in which it is desired to locate the switch structure. Current supply for the switch structure is obtained through a terminal 51 formed integrally with metallic support plate 26. Thus, when members d6 and 48 are utilized as current conductors, current flow in the FIG. l position is from terminal 51, through support plate 26, switch blade 32, member d6, and its terminal 45. When the switch is in the FIG. 2 position current flow is from terminal 5l to the support plate 2d, blade 32, member 48, and its terminal 5i). t will be understood that contact members 46 and i5 form stops to limit movement of the blade.

In order to move the switch blade 32 from its FIG. l to its FIG. 2 position there is provided a depressable plunger 54 which engages the lett end portion of the blade extending above the upwardly bulged portion 56 of support plate 26. Bulged portion S5 forms an abutment structure for limiting downward movement of plunger S4 to the position shown in FIG. 2. During movement or" plunger 54 from its FIG. l to its FIG. 2 position the blade portions 38 and 40 are caused to move downwardly alongside of support portion 23 so as to change the direction in which the preset tension in the blade acts. In the FIG. l position the blade sections 38 and 40 extend from the left end of the blade in a direction slightly above the central blade section Sti; as a result, the tension in sections 33 and lil causes said sections to have a tendency to press upwardly on plunger 5dand stop member d6. However, as plunger 54 is depressed the tension force in blade sections 38 and 4? is caused to be redirected in a slightiy downward direction due to the fact that said sections 38 and d@ change their angle with respect to the direction or plane taken by central blade portion 3d. Thus as the plunger 54 moves to its FIG. 2 position the right-hand areas of blade sections 3d and it? pass below the plane of the corresponding portion of blade section 3l? so that the pretension force in sections 3S and di? acts in a downward direction (instead of in an upward direction as in FIG. 1). As a result, the blade is caused to snap from its FIG. 1 position engaged with Contact 46 to its FlG. 2 position engaged with contact 48. Even though the blade has a downward pressure contact with stop member 48 in the FIG. 2 position, yet there is an upward component of force exerted by the tensions in the blade sections 3S and d@ acting against plunger 54. Thus, when the external downward force on plunger 5d is released the blade will automatically snap into engagement with contact i6 as shown in FIG. 3. The control of the blade position is `ot course effected 'by movement of plunger S4.

animee In order to provide the motive force for moving the plunger 54 from its FIG. 1 position to its FlG. 2 position there is provided an impulse mechanism comprising a tubular housing structure 57 iixedly carried on plate section i8. The extreme lower portion of housing structure 57 is internally enlarged to provide a shoulder 6o, and the enlarged portion slidably receives a disc member 62. Disc e2 carries a lost motion stem 641 which includes a relatively small diameter lower portion ed, an intermediate enlargement ed, and a relatively large diameter upper section 76.

Slidably positioned in the upper portion of cylindrical housing sec-tion 57 is a depressable actuator button l@ having a reduced diameter upper `section 67 defining a shoulder 7l for cooperation with an inturned housing ilange 72 for limiting the upward slidable movement of the button.

The lower portion of button Il@ is hollowed, as at 69, to form a guide structure for slidably receiving the upper section 7@ or" stem 64, the arrangement being such that stem 645 is accurately guided by structure adjacent both of its ends so as to provide for smooth jam-free operation.

An intermediate portion of housing structure 57 is provided with an annular groove 74 which receives a C- shaped retainer 76. Retainer 76 serves as an abutment structure for a compression spring 78. The other end of compression spring 73 abuts against a thin metal disc 3l) which is provided with three downwardly projecting spring lingers SZ. The lower end portions of spring fingers S2.

are direc-ted inwardly toward the axis of stem 64, and then outwardly at Se to form cam sections adapted for Ifrictional engagement with the stem enlargement 68. Button il@ constitutes a drive member, stern 64 constitutes a driven member, and spring fingers S2 constitute a releasable drive connection.

in operation, when an external force is applied to actuator l'tl, either manually or mechanically, the assembly of members lll, 64 and 555 are caused to move downwardly as a unit until the lower face of switch blade 32 abuts against bulged portion 56 of support plate 26. During this downward movement the blade sections 3S and dit are caused to snap from contact with stop member 46 to stop member 4S. Continued application of the downward force on actuator l@ is thereafter effective t cause the outwardly daring portions 84 of the spring fingers S2 to cam outwardly on stem enlargement 68 so as to snap inwardly onto the smooth surface of stem section 66. The plunger l@ is therefore free to have a downward movement to the FIG. 3 position without resistance from d stem 64 or plunger 54. As soon as spring linger sections 84 have passed downwardly beyond enlargement 68 the assembly of members 64 and 54 is `tree to snap upwardly from the FIG. 2 position to the FIG. 3 position under the influence of the preset tension in blade 32 (provided by deformed portion 42). Thus, the blade is caused to take its FIG. 3 position engaged with stop 46.

lt will be seen that during a single depression of actuator lll' the blade E?. is caused to snap from its FIG. l position to its FlG. 2 position engaged with stop dit and back to its FIG. 3 position engaged with stop d6. On release of the downward force on actuator 1t) the actuator is propelled upwardly by spring 76 so -that spring finger portions @d snap over the enlargements 68 to the FIG. l position. The device is then set for another impulse operation.

The illustrated embodiments employ a casing structure l2 and plunger mechanism 54 which is of conventional construction. As a result the housing structure 57 and its contained components can be easily `assembled onto the conventional switch casing structure and utilized to form a complete impulse switch without extensive experimentation, development work or tooling directed especially to the impulse switch structure.

It will be realized that while the drawings necessarily show speciiic features of construction utilized in one ernbodiment of the invention, yet the invention is capable of practice in those forms thereof coming within the spirit `of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In an impulse switch,

a housing deiining a hollow cavity,

opposed spaced first and second electrical contacts in one end of said cavity,

an elongated, over-center stressed switch blade in said cavity having one end positioned between said contacts and normally engaging one of said contacts,

pivot means in said cavity floatingly supporting a median portion of said blade,

a first reciprocable plunger carried by said housing to engage the other end of said blade,

abutment means in said cavity limiting movement of said plunger and said other end of said blade,

ya reciprocable actuator carried by said housing and engageable with said plunger,

va second reciprocable plunger' carried by said housing for moving said actuator,

lost motion means between said second plunger and said actuator,

`'and means biasing said second plunger away from said rst plunger.

2. in an impulse switch,

a housing delining a hollow switch cavity,

.opposed spaced first and second contacts in one end of said cavity,

`an elongated, over-center stressed switch blade in said cavity and having one end extending between said contacts and normally engaging one of said contacts,

pivot means in said cavity ree-iloatingly supporting said switch blade at a median point thereon,

y ya first reciprocable switch actuating plunger carried by said housing and engageable with the other end of said blade,

a reciprocable actuator carried exteriorly by said housing for actuating said rst plunger,

a second reciprocable plunger carried by said housing for moving said actuator,

and means biasing said second plunger away from said first plunger.

3. In an impulse switch,

a housing defining a hollow switch cavity,

lirst and second opposed spaced contacts in said cavity,

an elongated, over-center stressed switch blade in said cavity and having one end positioned between said contacts and urged against the irst contact by said stress,

a reciprocable switch-actuating plunger carried by said housing and engageable with the other end of said blade,

pivot means in said cavity free-floatingly supporting said switch blade between its ends,

.a reciprocable `actuator carried by said housing,

said actuator including lost motion means engageable with said plunger,

and means carried by said housing and biasing said actuator away from said plunger.

4. In an impulse switch,

a housing defining a hollow switch cavity,

rst and second opposed spaced contacts in said cavity,

an elongated over-center stressed switch blade in said cavity and having one end positioned between said contacts and normally biased toward one of the contacts,

a contact pivot in said cavity free-iloatingly supporting said switch blade between its ends,

said pivot contact comprising a plate lying in the bot- `torn of said cavity and having an upwardly extendand lost motion means between said second and third ing bowed portion contacting said switch blade, plungers. a reciprocable switch actuating plunger carried by said housing and engageable with the other end of said References Clfed 111 the 51 0f thlS Patent Swltch blade, 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS said pivot contact plate including an abutment to limit a third plunger carried by said housing and engageable 10 with said second plunger to actuate the sarne, 

3. IN AN IMPULSE SWITCH, A HOUSING DEFINING A HOLLOW SWITCH CAVITY, FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSED SPACED CONTACTS IN SAID CAVITY, AN ELONGATED, OVER-CENTER STRESSED SWITCH BLADE IN SAID CAVITY AND HAVING ONE END POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID CONTACTS AND URGED AGAINST THE FIRST CONTACT BY SAID STRESS, A RECIPROCABLE SWITCH-ACTUATING PLUNGER CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE OTHER END OF SAID BLADE, PIVOT MEANS IN SAID CAVITY FREE-FLOATINGLY SUPPORTING SAID SWITCH BLADE BETWEEN ITS ENDS, A RECIPROCABLE ACTUATOR CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING, SAID ACTUATOR INCLUDING LOST MOTION MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID PLUNGER, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING AND BIASING SAID ACTUATOR AWAY FROM SAID PLUNGER. 